Best Time to Drive from Harlem to Brooklyn

None of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

On weekdays the 16-mile drive from Harlem to Brooklyn (via I-478 East and NY-9A South) usually takes as little as 27 minutes and up to 85 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 64 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6:30 pm on Saturdays (74 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Brooklyn to Harlem

Freeway, about 9 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 18 to 49 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Harlem to central Brooklyn along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Harlem to Brooklyn by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	48	56	58	62	65	58	61	59	61	75	83	76	61	52	37
Tue	27	44	53	60	60	63	65	63	64	61	64	75	82	81	71	59	75
Wed	28	37	52	55	61	61	64	63	64	65	65	79	85	81	70	61	72
Thu	28	37	48	58	63	64	68	68	68	67	72	81	84	80	69	64	69
Fri	45	41	45	53	56	59	65	68	63	64	71	78	77	68	60	59	59
Sat	33	28	30	40	36	45	57	63	63	64	64	64	69	69	73	65	64
Sun	29	27	28	30	35	36	45	52	54	53	59	66	68	66	63	64	61

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Harlem to Brooklyn?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 27 minutes then, versus up to 85 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Harlem to Brooklyn?

The 16-mile drive usually takes 27 to 85 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 64 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Harlem to Brooklyn?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 85 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Brooklyn to Harlem (return trip) · Harlem to Bay Ridge · Harlem to Co-op City · Harlem to Staten Island

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	48	56	58	62	65	58	61	59	61	75	83	76	61	52	37
Tue	27	44	53	60	60	63	65	63	64	61	64	75	82	81	71	59	75
Wed	28	37	52	55	61	61	64	63	64	65	65	79	85	81	70	61	72
Thu	28	37	48	58	63	64	68	68	68	67	72	81	84	80	69	64	69
Fri	45	41	45	53	56	59	65	68	63	64	71	78	77	68	60	59	59
Sat	33	28	30	40	36	45	57	63	63	64	64	64	69	69	73	65	64
Sun	29	27	28	30	35	36	45	52	54	53	59	66	68	66	63	64	61

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	48	56	58	62	65	58	61	59	61	75	83	76	61	52	37
Tue	27	44	53	60	60	63	65	63	64	61	64	75	82	81	71	59	75
Wed	28	37	52	55	61	61	64	63	64	65	65	79	85	81	70	61	72
Thu	28	37	48	58	63	64	68	68	68	67	72	81	84	80	69	64	69
Fri	45	41	45	53	56	59	65	68	63	64	71	78	77	68	60	59	59
Sat	33	28	30	40	36	45	57	63	63	64	64	64	69	69	73	65	64
Sun	29	27	28	30	35	36	45	52	54	53	59	66	68	66	63	64	61

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	36	48	56	58	62	65	58	61	59	61	75	83	76	61	52	37
Tue	27	44	53	60	60	63	65	63	64	61	64	75	82	81	71	59	75
Wed	28	37	52	55	61	61	64	63	64	65	65	79	85	81	70	61	72
Thu	28	37	48	58	63	64	68	68	68	67	72	81	84	80	69	64	69
Fri	45	41	45	53	56	59	65	68	63	64	71	78	77	68	60	59	59
Sat	33	28	30	40	36	45	57	63	63	64	64	64	69	69	73	65	64
Sun	29	27	28	30	35	36	45	52	54	53	59	66	68	66	63	64	61